Butterhead lettuce

Origin & history

Garden lettuce goes back to the wild prickly lettuce of the Mediterranean and was already cultivated by the Egyptians and Romans; heading forms, by contrast, are only described from the 16th century onwards. The genus name Lactuca comes from lac, milk — cut a plant and white sap runs out, and it is exactly that sap which turns bitter once the plant starts to bolt. For centuries butterhead lettuce was a purely spring and early-summer crop in Germany, because only modern summer varieties stand the heat.

Varieties

Butterhead is bought by season, not by looks: “Maikönig” is a spring variety, “Kagraner Sommer” and “Attraktion” cope with summer heat, and “Brauner Trotzkopf” and “Winterbutterkopf” are bred for overwintering. Sow a spring variety in June and it bolts before it ever makes a head. Many newer varieties are explicitly listed as aphid-resistant, which makes the difference in summer; the old ones are open-pollinated and easy to save seed from.

Care

If you raise your own, sow straight into modular trays — that saves pricking out and the root ball goes into the bed undisturbed. When planting, set the ball only so deep that the collar stays clear above the soil; lettuce planted too deep rots in the heart, and that is the commonest beginner’s mistake. Water in the morning and directly onto the soil so the leaves are dry overnight. Plant in batches: six to eight plants every two to three weeks rather than thirty at once, or everything is ready in the same week.

What can go wrong

Slugs are the main problem and go for freshly planted seedlings above all: collect them at dusk and early in the morning, clear away boards and heaps of mulch as hiding places, hoe the surrounding soil shallow, and set out sturdy young plants rather than sowing direct — a slug fence around the bed is the most reliable answer. Downy mildew shows as yellow patches between the leaf veins with a grey coating underneath; it spreads on wet foliage, so space the plants widely, water at the base in the morning and take off affected outer leaves. If lettuce stands too warm and too dry in high summer it bolts and tastes bitter — then only a part-shaded spot and steady moisture will help.

Harvest, storage & kitchen

Cut early in the morning while the head is plump; it is ready when it feels firm under gentle pressure but still gives a little. Cut it with a knife just above the ground — unlike loose-leaf types the stump does not usefully regrow. Butterhead does not store: unwashed and wrapped in a damp cloth it keeps two or three days in the fridge. Next to apples and tomatoes it develops brown leaf ribs; the ripening gas they give off gets to it.

Frequently asked questions

When do I sow butterhead lettuce?

Start plants indoors from mid-February and sow straight into the bed from mid-March; both run into August. Planting out happens from late March to the end of August, harvest from early May to early November. Allow about four weeks from sowing to planting out.

Can I still eat butterhead lettuce once it bolts?

Yes, as long as the stem is only just rising out of the middle — the outer leaves are still usable then, though noticeably more bitter. Once the flower shoot really stretches the head turns tough and milky, so take what you can and sow a fresh batch.

Is butterhead lettuce winter hardy?

No. It shrugs off a light night frost, but a hard winter outdoors is too much for it. Only varieties bred for overwintering come through under fleece; the spring and summer sowings in this calendar are finished off by the first sharp frost.

How long does butterhead lettuce take from planting to harvest?

Reckon on five to seven weeks from planting out to a firm head, or ten to twelve weeks counted from sowing. In high summer it goes faster — but the head then stands only briefly before bolting, so cut it promptly.

Will butterhead lettuce grow in a pot on the balcony?

Yes, a pot of about five litres per plant is enough. Keep 25 cm between plants, choose a spot in part shade — harsh midday sun pushes it into bolting — and water more often than in a bed, as pots dry out faster.